In today’s digital age, a website is often the first point of contact that potential customers have with your business. It’s your online storefront, and it’s important that it makes a good first impression. That’s why our second DO in our DO’s and DON’TS content series is focused on ensuring you create a contemporary, professional, and on-brand design for your website.
Creating a visually appealing and professional website design is crucial for the success of your online business. A well-designed website not only attracts and engages your target audience, but it also conveys a sense of credibility and trustworthiness. In this article, we will discuss why it is important to use a contemporary and professional design for your website, and how you can achieve this.
Create a Brand Guideline
The first step in creating a contemporary and professional design for your website is to have a brand guideline. A brand guideline is a document that outlines your brand’s visual and messaging standards. It provides a set of rules that ensure consistency in your brand’s presentation across all mediums, including your website.
A brand guideline includes details such as your brand’s colour scheme, typography, logo usage guidelines, and tone of voice. Providing your web developers or designers with a brand guideline ensures that they have a clear understanding of your brand’s identity and can create a website that is consistent with your brand.
Develop User Personas
Another way to guide your web developers or designers on design choices is to develop user personas. User personas are fictional characters that represent your ideal customers. They include demographic information, interests, behaviours, and pain points.
Developing user personas allows you to understand your target audience’s needs and expectations. You can use this information to create a website design that is tailored to their needs and preferences. This approach ensures that your website design is customer-centric and appeals to your target audience.
Supplement with Other Material
Aside from a brand guideline and user personas, you can also provide your web developers or designers with other supplementary materials such as style guides, wireframes, and mood boards. These materials provide additional guidance and ensure that the design aligns with your brand’s identity.
A style guide outlines the design elements of your website, including font styles, sizes, colours, and layout. Wireframes, on the other hand, are a visual representation of your website’s layout, highlighting the structure and hierarchy of content. Mood boards provide inspiration and help set the tone for the website’s design.
Market Research and User Testing
Market research and user testing are crucial in ensuring that your website design appeals to your target audience. Market research allows you to understand your target audience’s needs, preferences, and behaviours. It enables you to identify trends and design elements that resonate with your audience.
User testing involves getting feedback from your target audience about the website design. It allows you to identify areas of improvement and adjust the design accordingly. User testing ensures that your website design meets the needs and expectations of your target audience.
Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO)
Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) is the process of optimising your website design to improve its performance. The aim of CRO is to increase the percentage of website visitors who take a desired action, such as making a purchase or filling out a contact form.
CRO involves analysing user behaviour and making design changes that encourage visitors to take the desired action. It involves making changes to the website’s design, content, and layout. CRO can significantly improve the performance of your website and increase conversions.
Other considerations
A professional and contemporary website design can help to build trust and credibility with your target audience. If your website looks outdated or unprofessional, it can give the impression that your business is untrustworthy or not credible. On the other hand, a modern and professional website design can convey a sense of expertise and professionalism that can make a positive impression on potential customers.
Furthermore, a well-designed website can also help to increase user engagement and encourage visitors to stay on your website for longer periods of time. An engaging website can help to build a connection with your audience and create a positive user experience. This can lead to increased brand loyalty and repeat visits.
In addition to creating a good first impression, a professional website design can also help to improve your website’s search engine optimisation (SEO). Google and other search engines consider the design of a website when ranking it in search results. A website with a modern and professional design is more likely to rank higher than one with an outdated or unprofessional design.
Moreover, a contemporary and professional website design can help to differentiate your business from competitors. A unique and well-designed website can help to set your brand apart from others in your industry. This can help to increase brand recognition and create a memorable brand image.
It’s important to note that a contemporary and professional website design is not just about aesthetics. It’s also about usability and functionality. Your website should be easy to navigate and use. Visitors should be able to find what they are looking for quickly and easily. A website that is difficult to use or navigate can lead to frustration and high bounce rates.
In conclusion, creating a contemporary and professional website design is crucial for the success of your online business. By providing your web developers or designers with a brand guideline, user personas, and supplementary materials, and conducting market research and user testing, you can create a website design that meets your audience’s needs and expectations. Additionally, implementing Conversion Rate Optimisation can help you improve your website’s performance and increase conversions. Remember, your website is your online storefront, and a well-designed website can make a positive first impression on potential customers.
Chris Barnard has spent over 15 years delivering exceptional digital marketing performance for leading businesses in the UK, Europe and North America as an independent business consultant.
FeedbackFans provides a unique next-generation managed technology and marketing platform that delivers outstanding and outsized results for businesses in sectors such as finance, retail, leisure, and professional services.
With our unparalleled expertise in creating cutting-edge solutions and environments, we empower our clients and users to thrive in the digital age.
Chris Barnard is Managing Director of FeedbackFans.
